Documentary '20 Feet From Stardom' Reveals The Secret Life Of A Backup Singer

For decades, backup singers have lent their voices to many of the
most popular songs in music history — but received no
recognition and little financial compensation.

A new documentary, "20 Feet From
Stardom," tells the true stories of backup singers with
revealing interviews from the singers themselves, as well
as Stevie Wonder, Mick Jagger, Sting, and Bruce
Springsteen.

Springsteen, who often uses backup singers, calls the profession
"an unheralded position ... that walk to the front is
complicated."

Darlene Love, a backup singer who started in the Motown era,
admits that despite being featured on many of the most popular
songs of the time, "It got so bad I started
cleaning houses."

Many musicians
were used and abused by producers such as Phil Spector, who made
sure that some backup singers' attempts at solo careers proved
futile.

Others,
however, have successfully crossed over into stardom.

Emmylou
Harris, Luther Vandross (who sang backing vocals for David
Bowie), Whitney Houston, Sheryl Crow (who sang with Michael
Jackson), and Dido are among those who started as backup
singers.

The doc
reveals the stories behind some of the most famous lyrics in
history, such as how backup singer Merry
Clayton, the woman singing “Rape! Murder! It’s just a
shot away” on the Rolling
Stones' 1969 hit"Gimme Shelter," was dragged out of
bed at midnight to attend the band's recording session. If you
listen closely, you can hear Mick Jagger saying “Wow”
after Clayton roars “Muuuuuurder!”

The documentary, which has earned nearly $5 million at the box office since its
debut in January, is now available on OnDemand and Netflix.

We watched the film this weekend and loved it. Watch the trailer
below:

David Bowie is well known for using backup vocals on his songs,
check out a 1975 performance of his hit "Young Americans"
featuring backup singers stealing the show: